


The Comatose Conjuncture

by Izzybee



Category: Big Bang Theory
Genre: AU, Biggest plot twist in history, Car Accidents, Drama, F/M, Fluff and Crack, Holidays, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, semi crossover, tw: accidents, tw: coma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-13
Updated: 2013-07-18
Packaged: 2017-12-20 13:25:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 14,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/887788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Izzybee/pseuds/Izzybee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An accident causes Sheldon to fall into a coma. With Penny's help, can he navigate his way out of his mind?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Which The Hero Is Given A Quest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on ff.net, I decided to 'revive' this fic and repost it on AO3. Some changes were made, especially to the last chapter (which I felt was rushed anyway) but they will be subtle!
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** The Big Bang Theory, and anything you recognize (brands, copyrighted characters, etc.) are not mine. Sadly :(

Chapter 1

Sheldon frowned at the note he held in his hand. He had found it attached to his door earlier this morning.

_Hey Sheldon  
_

His temple twitched at the little heart Penny had drawn by his name. Under what circumstances required the placement of such a thing? He read on.

_I know it's probably too much to ask but I'll be working over-time tonight. Hope you could go to the store and grab me some hotdogs (for spaghetti!) Thanks!_

_-Penny_

_P.S. You can come over and have a plateful too if you want._

Stopping at the edge of the crosswalk, he lowered the note and gave a small sigh.

"The things I do for people..."

Tucking the note away into his bag, he waited for the light to signal green, his mind entertaining the fact that, despite the breakup between Leonard and Penny less than a week ago, things have been going quite well.

His schedule was not interrupted; Raj and Howard still came over for Halo and Thai, Leonard had not bothered to displease his ears with a depressing barrage of music and whining…

What was most shocking, if not fascinating, was how well Penny was reacting. Sheldon, who had seen the bottles piled up in the trash bin after any of Penny's failed relationships, expected no different when she left his tiny roommate for that stunt he pulled at the Thanksgiving gala at the University.

Leonard hadn't thought that the lab assistant that he had been engaged in an affair with would also be present at the gala (Sheldon, of course, had anticipated this.)

The light turned green, and he gave a breathy laugh as he crossed. He was, in some part hidden deep inside his beautiful mind, relieved that Penny stayed…well, Penny. She hadn't turned to her old destructive habits, and instead had opted to whip up a delicious Italian treat for dinner.

His expression softened a bit, until he heard the screech of tires to his right.

He turned, legs locked in place. The headlights of the car engulfed his vision and he felt the impact of metal against his body before his world turned into darkness.


	2. In Which Dire News Is Announced

Chapter 2

Penny bid the final customers goodnight with a radiant smile.

It was officially the holiday shopping season and that meant good business, happy customers and great tips. The Cheesecake Factory had been brimming with people, and she was glad that her shift is finally over.

Taking her apron off, she went to the back to clock out, excited that she'll be able to satiate her grumbling stomach once she gets home.

"Penny?" Her boss poked his head around the doorframe.

"I'm in here Chuck. Was about to clock out, what's up?"

He approached her and, with slight hesitation, he handed her the phone.

"It's for you. And, I just wanna let you know…that if you need anything, just come talk to me and I'll do what I can."

"Oh..kay.." She gave his retreating form a quizzical look before bringing the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Penny?" It was Howard.

"Oh hey Howard. Listen, I'm about to-"

"You need to come to the hospital, Penny. Like, right _now_. Raj is already here and Leonard is on his way."

"W-what? Why?" She became only slightly aware of the cold, sinking feeling that started to bloom in her chest. Anything that included an urgency to be at a hospital never boded well.

"It's Sheldon…" Howard mumbled something she didn't catch. _Sheldon? Was he sick? No…if he were sick, he would be at home. Abandoned. Alone. He would have made the call himself._ "Just, please get here. We're in the E.R."

_Wait…E.R.?_

"What happened to Sheldon, Howard? Howard?" He had hung up on her and, dropping everything, raced to her car.

Within fifteen minutes, Penny arrived into the hospital. She approached the nurse's station, craning her neck to see if she could spot a familiar face amongst the people in the waiting room, but there were many who needed to be seen and the rooms had curtains drawn.

"Excuse me, but I'm looking for a patient. His name is Sheldon. Sheldon Cooper?"

The nurse turned to the board behind him and he looked back at her. "He's in room 32B. Are you family, miss?"

"No, I'm…I'm his friend. But I got a call, and I really have to see him." She wrought her cold fingers together, hoping that she would be allowed inside, although she didn't understand why.

 _Because Sheldon is your best friend. Because you care,_ her mind reasoned.

But before the nurse could answer, Leonard stepped out from one of the rooms.

"Penny! We tried calling you earlier but your phone's been dead...I got here a few minutes ago." Turning to the nurse, he said, "It's alright. She's with me." For a brief moment, Penny felt affronted by his comment, but she said nothing as the nurse granted her permission to head inside.

Leonard extended his arm and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, shepherding her into the room.

The sight that greeted her dealt a blow to her stomach.

Howard and Raj were sitting by Sheldon's body, covered in tubes and wires that were monitoring his vitals and providing sustenance via I.V. drips. From where she stood she could see the bloodied gauze and plaster that seemed to be holding his body together.

Penny approached the bed and saw his face…His face was riddled with cuts and bruises. A small gasp escaped from her lips.

Leonard broke the silence. "It was a hit-and-run. Few witnesses saw the accident, and they haven't caught the driver yet. The doctor said he's lucky to still be alive."

She sat next to Howard, silent, her eyes never leaving the broken form before her.

"…There were some fractures in his ribs, and a dislocated shoulder. Everything is-"

"Everything is going to be ok? He'll wake up and be good ol' Sheldon, right?" Her eyes searched his, and Leonard looked down.

Howard shook his head. "No. There was massive head trauma. There's some cerebral swelling. Penny…he's in a coma. He won't…can't wake up."

He wrapped his arms around her tightly when she began to cry, and she didn't mind because the only thought that went through her mind was that this was her fault.


	3. In Which The Hero Gains A Sidekick

Chapter 3

_Sheldon…_

The light engulfed him, and disappeared.

_Sheldon…wake up…_

The pain was, although short lived, immense, like he was being torn to pieces and fed to savage dogapusses.

_Sheldon Lee Cooper!_

His eyes fluttered open at the commanding voice. It was familiar, although he could not understand why. (Which was a shock. He could remember everything, and that surely included voices.)

 _That's DOCTOR Sheldon Lee Cooper, PhD!_ He thought, disgruntled. _  
_

When his eyes adjusted he took in what was before him. It was vast, and pale blue. Like…

_The sky? Has no one found me? Helped me?_

His senses slowly crept back to him as he lay on the ground, analyzing his predicament. From his position he concluded several things:

1) He was on the ground. Oh Lord, he could almost feel the diseases colonizing on him!

2) His jacket was gone, but he was still fully clothed and he could feel the bag strap across his chest. It was a comforting feeling.

and

3)He had been moved. The buildings surrounding him were different, and they were covered in designs he could not make out.

Sheldon rolled his body until he was on all fours, and stood up slowly. He looked around him, hoping to find the source of the voice that called out to him so that he could demand answers, but there was no one in sight.

The entire city seemed deserted.

"Hello? Excuse me, is there anyone who can help me?" His voice echoed, and he waited to see if his Vulcan hearing could pick up a response.

Sensing that his call went unnoticed, he proceeded to investigate his surroundings. They were certainly not the buildings of Pasadena. So if he was no longer in Pasadena, where was he?

He approached a shop across from where he had woken up, and looked up at the large fluorescent sign.

**Sheldonopolis Café.**

_Oh. OH._

A flash metal and a memory of the impact suddenly appeared in his mind and he swiveled around, his chest heaving. A car had hit him. He was…? What had he been doing?

"Am I dead?" Sheldon frantically looked around Sheldon Square. "I'm dead…I'm DEAD and I still haven't been awarded my Nobel PRIZE!" His hands twisted his bag strap. "I still haven't made all the contributions I intended to present to mankind. I CAN'T be DEAD."

"You're not dead, Moon Pie. Relax."

That voice! The same voice seemed to be gently mocking him. It was sarcastic, and dry and realization hit him all at once, because this same voice had edged its way into his life and disrupted his daily routines for years.

"Come over here and sit down, Sheldon. Have some cob-"

He turned and pointed at her, glaring. "You!"

"...Me?"

"Whenever trouble happens, you are always lurking nearby. You probably did this." He gestured to his surroundings. "You brought me here, somehow. I…I'm dead. Why are you here? You shouldn't be here Penny. You're not allowed in Sheldonopolis."

Penny sat there with a lopsided grin. She rested her chin on her hand and shook her head at him, causing her blonde hair to bounce around her face.

"But I _am_ here. You are not dead and I think," she pulled a chair out for him, patting the seat, "You should sit down and relax. Please?"

"In what universe does one relax when one finds themselves in a reality based on a virtual game, alone I might add, after a major accident?"

"Yeah…Sheldon, look. This whole thing is confusing and I want to make it easier for you, I really do. See! I was even gonna offer you this slice of peach cobbler before you interrupted me." He eyed the perfect cut of pie.

"I can't eat pie if I'm dead."

"SIT. DOWN. SHELDON."

He frantically sat himself down. "No need to yell! Honestly, I was only pointing out the facts."

"I'll try to explain the facts once you're finished. Now, are you alright?" She handed him a fork and flashed him another grin.

"'Alright' is an understatement." After a moment of hesitation, he took a small bite of the cobbler and closed his eyes. "But this is truly delightful. Why, I could even say this rivals my mother's cobbler. Are you sure I'm not dead?"

Penny rolled her eyes at him. "Yes."

"Am I...in the Matrix...?"

"I could take that away you know."

With that, he attacked his cobbler. He sensed that that was the end of the conversation for now. There would still be plenty of time for answers later.


	4. In Which The Journey Sort Of Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where the overlapping begins! Remember, a lot of things that happen in the real world are influencing what is happening in Sheldon's head.
> 
> It was slightly hard to make sure people did not get confused, but I think I got it!
> 
> Penny's shirt in question is the blue top she wore in The Spaghetti Catalyst. I kinda figured that Sheldon's mind wouldn't have really picked up on her sense of fashion. _ I was tempted to have him imagine her in a towel the entire time though...

Chapter 4

They sat in silence as Sheldon finished his cobbler. While he chewed, he took the sight of Penny in; Tousled blonde hair, in a simple blue top, tights and plain blue flats. Simply Penny. She was looking at everything but him, her leg shaking.

 _Something is off, though._ He swallowed the last of his treat. _She's too quiet._

"You're too quiet."

"Last time someone spoke with food in their mouth, you got pretty fussy."

"But you weren't even there!" He huffed at her and put his fork down. "I have finished eating. Now, please enlighten me, Penny. Where am I, if I am not deceased? Why are you here, but not Leonard, who is my best friend, or Raj, who is my friend, or Howard, who is my close acquaintance?"

She gave him an exasperated sigh. "Typical Sheldon, so many questions. But before I answer, I have a question for you." Penny regarded him. "What is the last thing you remember?"

The corners of his mouth angled downward, and he cringed.

"…A blinding light. I was hit, presumably by a large motor vehicle with a more than careless driver. I remember crossing, and then immense pain…and then nothing." His voice grew quieter with every word.

A car of that size, and the velocity that it had been going, was enough to render his body unidentifiable. But here he was, clearly thinking. Unscathed. None of this was logical.

"Sheldon," He looked up at Penny, who stood and crossed her arms across her torso. "When you got hit, yea, you were banged up pretty bad." Her grammar caused his face to twitch, but he allowed her to continue. "But you were, are, still alive. Right now, your physical body is in a hospital."

He took her words and rolled them around his mind. _No, that doesn't make sense. My PHYSICAL body? This is my physical body…I can feel. Taste. Hear. I'm right here._

"Look around you, Sheldon. Look _closely._ "

And he did. It was then when he noticed the details. Namely, the little squiggles on the buildings, the designs he had noticed earlier. Leaning forward, he saw them for what they were.

Equations.

Everything, the walls of the building, the table, even the forks, had little equations etched on them. And they were not random. They were parts of the working formulas he had been trying to solve for months.

Then it dawned on him.

Penny bent down and whispered into his ear, "You're in that hospital bed right now. Surrounded by your friends and family. You can't wake up, because you're in a coma."

His breath hitched in his throat. _Coma!_

"Welcome to your mind, Moon Pie."

He strained to speak. "No one calls me Moon Pie but my Meemaw!"

* * *

Leonard shifted his feet as he stood by the doorway of Sheldon's hospital room. It had been 2 days since the accident, and, although the doctor assured them that the cerebral edema was reducing in size, he couldn't help but worry.

He turned to Stephanie for reassurance, but she said the same thing.

Leonard glanced at Penny, who was oblivious to his presence. She had been by Sheldon's side since the night of her arrival, quietly whispering words he could not catch to the lanky mummy-like figure.

"Penny, you can leave him for a while...go grab a bite to eat. It's not like he's going to go anywhere."

She looked up; her tired eyes a dull green.

"What if he wakes up?" It was the answer she gave whenever they tried to coax her away.

He scrunched his brows together, but said nothing as he sighed and turned to leave.

* * *

Penny sighed and lifted her hand as if to pat him on the shoulder, but instead, she began to walk away. 

"Hey! And where do you think you are going missy? You have much more explaining to do!" She laughed at him over her shoulder and he hesitated for a second before chasing after her. Once he caught up, Sheldon followed Penny towards a small building several blocks up from the café.

During their brief trek, he had allowed the facts to sink in, and he recovered from his shock when he considered that perhaps walking around and exploring his mind in this manner was not as bad as it seemed.

Certainly, the knowledge that he was still able to reason meant that nothing of vital importance had been harmed after the accident.

She explained that his mind took the form of Sheldonopolis, the very city he built in playing Sim City, because it was where his thoughts felt safest. He had wanted to protest, but she gave him no chance when she walked away from him once more.

As far as Penny's presence goes, she explained that only he knew the answer, albeit subconsciously ("Like, the deepest part of it!" As she had put it.). His mind had chosen her form to 'guide' him back into consciousness.

"I don't see how that would help me. Your working knowledge, compared to mine, is almost non-existent."

She shrugged at him as they entered the lobby, her eyes searching for something. "Maybe your mind knows that the only way to you waking up means I'd have to go junior rodeo on it." She reached underneath a large couch and pulled out a whiteboard.

Handing it to him (Along with his favorite Expo marker) she continued. "Maybe there's another reason."

"There could be a multitude of reasons, Penny." He muttered,uncapping the marker and poising, mantis-like, in front of the board. "But I still cannot, for the life of me, see how YOU could act as a responsible guide. If anything, I would have thought Amy Farrah Fowler a much more fitting choice of guidance."

Penny threw him a glare.

"But I digress." He began to draw out a map of Sheldonopolis. For a city with so many elements and venues, it was actually quite small.

Penny reached over his shoulder, arm brushing against his cheek, as she placed a finger on an unmarked square. "So we started here...then this is where we are now. And this," Her finger slid upwards. "This is unknown territory. Beyond City Hall, it's darkness. We should totally avoid that."

"What happens if we don't?"

"You know what happens when you mount up you flying mount in World of Warcraft, and you fly to the very top of the light pillar in Shattrath City, and then dismount?"

Sheldon nodded slowly. "You die." _After a really fun fall._

"Yup. But no one's here to rez you."

He was about to make a comment, but the ground lurched and jolted. The building began to crumble.

"Balls!" Penny swore under her breath.

Grabbing Penny's wrist and pocketing the marker, he quickly assessed that they would be able to make it out before being crushed by cracked ceiling descending down upon them.

"What's going on Penny?" The panic in her eyes told him enough. _She doesn't know either._

He pulled her along and they ran to towards the door. Before they made it to the entrance, however, floor caved and they both fell into the gaping darkness below.


	5. In Which The Hero Takes An Unplanned Detour

Chapter 5

They landed with a loud thud. Penny groaned and Sheldon sat up, hand still wrapped around her wrist.

He gave it momentary consideration before letting go.

"Well, that sucked."

"As eloquent as always, Penny."

"Hey, thanks!" She beamed at him as she brushed off the debris from her clothes. They were seemingly unscathed, and although Sheldon wanted to comment on how improbable that was, he decided against it. Instead, he asked a more pressing question.

"So I am assuming that you don't know what just happened? And no I am not referring to us falling. I meant why the building collapsed." He walked over to his bag, which was lying on top of a small pile of concrete.

"What I know depends on what you know. So, no, not really. But I can tell you one thing."

"And what would that be?"

"Means you're not getting better. We have to find a way back, and fast."

* * *

Mary Cooper had been through many bad situations in her life, and she would turn to God, and they all sorted themselves out through prayer. Whenever life got her down, the psalms and the words of wisdom from her worn copy of the Bible strengthened her resolve.

Seeing her son in the hospital made her question this resolve.

Resting her hand on Sheldon's head, she fought the tears that welled up in her eyes, and silently prayed.

Penny watched. It had been a week now, and she had not left Sheldon's room with hopes that he would wake up. Howard had called it hope, driven by the guilt she felt, whereas Leonard had called it a delusion.

Raj was kind enough to bring her a small bag with a change of clothes. She was allowed to use the shower in Sheldon's hospital room, something she was extremely grateful for.

Other than that, she spent every moment by his side, whispering to Sheldon. Grasping his hand, expecting him to squeeze back. Give her a strike. Anything.

"Leonard tells me you've been here from the start, Penny. Takin' care of him. Been talkin' to my Shelly in his…sleep."

She snapped out of her reverie.

"Yea…the guys have been busy at the University and I've been sorta…watching over him." She looked away, and Mary sensed there was something else to it. She was the mother of three children, and she knew a thing or two about fibs.

"Well, thank you Penny. Lord knows Sheldon needs a guardian angel. Might as well be you." She smiled, and Penny's sullen face returned it.

"I'll let you know if anything changes, Mrs. Cooper."

Mrs. Cooper acknowledged her with an understanding look before she left.

"I know darlin'. I know."

* * *

"I dunno…Looks like there's no way up."

Penny pouted as she looked up at the hole above them.

"Well, that's very comforti- OW!" Penny punched his arm. "What was that for? Please refrain from exhibiting physical violence, Penny. Even if you are a manifestation of my mind, it is not at all painless!"

"That," She said, watching him rub his arm, "Was for the sarcasm. Have you been practicing? Cuz you're getting good at it."

It had been several minutes (Although, according to Penny, time is technically non-existent here. It's all perceived, but Sheldon felt otherwise.) They had landed in the middle of a long tunnel; what looked to be a sewer system. Luckily, it lacked the smell and dampness of one, and Sheldon was able to suppress his disgust to a minimum.

Using the chasm above as a way to gain some bearing, they searched for a way out. Light filtered down from the rift above, but the tunnel itself had its own source of light: algorithms, with endless wayward arrows, were casting a warm glow, and Sheldon couldn't help but smile. The familiarity offered him comfort, and he might as well bask in what little there was.

"You know...If we had stayed in Sheldon Square, this probably wouldn't have happened. If this really is my mind I could have thought up a board. Or even a map."

"I told you, Moon Pie. That's not how it works, at least not in the state you're in right now. Judging from what just happened, you have little control over your mind as it is."

She skipped ahead of him, but he didn't miss the twinkle in her eyes.

"As I have stated, you are unfit to be my guide. You are even mocking me!"

"Am not! Besides…can you really map a mind?"

He gave his companion a discerning look, pursing his lips together.

"Believe it or not, before modern psychology and advances in neuroscience were developed, the mapping of the human mind, or phrenology, was actually quite popular." He clasped his hands behind his back, and assumed his "professor" stance. "Franz Joseph Gall, a mere neuroanatomist, changed the views of people during the 19th century when he stated that the skull's characteristics-"

"Sheldon."

"Yes, Penny?"

"Could you, ya know…give me a non-Sheldony answer? Even if my question was actually rhetorical…"

Sheldon paused, and shook his head at her. "That is not possible. Under normal circumstances I would oblige to providing you with the abridged version of my lecture, however," he held up a slender finger to silence her. "You are, currently, not the REAL Penny, but a figment of my imagination. Therefore, you will listen to my explanation."

He began where he left off, his voice picking up enthusiasm as he prattled about how personality types were determined by the bumps on a person's head.

The tunnel ahead of them seemed endless and Penny muttered under her breath.

"Whack-a-doodle…"


	6. In Which Hope Grows From The Debris

Chapter 6

Penny waited until Howard and Bernadette fell asleep when she scooted closer to Sheldon's bedside.

The nurses had removed some of the bandages on his face, and the scrapes and bruises were healing, but his lips still held a scowl. Smiling, her hand reached out and brushed his.

"Sheldon…" Penny made a face. Her whisper seemed so loud, but peering to see if the sleeping pair behind her stirred, she continued. "It's me, Penny…"

Days ago, she did some research on comas and vegetative states. She searched articles and forums, looking up anything that would help her understand what was going on, and to see if she could help. She wanted to find a light.

Her search was not fruitless. She had stumbled upon a forum one night, where a number of people that had friends and relatives pull through vegetation with sensory stimulation. _Talk to them, touch them…and they just might wake up._

From then on, she had begun quietly talking to the man-child in the bed. She earnestly recounted what the nurses had done; repeated things the boys would say when they visited, or what had been on the television at the time.

As long as she kept talking to him.

"Today was anything-can-happen Thursday you know. Surprise, surprise! Your mother visited today. It was really sweet." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. It was still awkward speaking to Sheldon in this state.

She was still expecting him to suddenly bolt up, yelling 'Danger! Danger!' but he lay there, his soft breathing and the steady blips from the heart monitor were the only indications that he was still alive.

"Leonard dropped by after. He apologized to me, you know. About the lab assistant thing. I said it was all right. We're cool now."

She thought back on the night of the CalTech Thanksgiving gala. Penny had actually been meaning to speak to Leonard afterwards about her feelings, or lack thereof, after she had come to a realization that her heart had only skipped a beat near the presence of a certain doctor…

It was only good timing when his assistant had stalked up to them to claim her 'Lenny'.

Penny's thoughts paused when she heard Howard shift, but she relaxed when his breathing evened out.

"Bernadette and Howard are staying with us tonight, too. I'd say it was the most interesting anything-can-happen Thursday ever."

A nurse walked in to run routine vital checks and Penny sat down again. Thinking back to Mrs. Cooper's visit, she smiled.

His mother's parting words earlier had warmed her soul, and if she was going to be his guardian angel, heck. She was going to be the best one there is.

Once the nurse left, she leaned in close to Sheldon's ear and quietly sang 'Soft Kitty'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sensory stimulation in comatose patients is a very popular practice, but the results are mixed. There isn't enough evidence to support or deny the effectiveness, but where there is a will...


	7. In Which The Hero Meets Another Familiar Face

Chapter 7

"…and the idea of phrenology in the 20th century was misused by numerous parties, like the Nazi's, but that wasn't why it was rejected. In the end, it was all just a bunch of hokum." He graced Penny, who had remained silent during the length of his speech, his look of haughty derision.

"You…are such a whack-a-doodle. I hope you know this." She chuckled softly, slightly leaning against him as they walked.

Sheldon had noticed that, in the duration of their time together, she was very keen on touching him (most of them were subtle, such as brushing her hands against his, all of which left a ghost of a tingle.)

He found that he didn't mind being in such close proximity with this Penny, however. Perhaps because he knew that she, unlike the real Penny, did not harbor harmful bacterium. _Yes…that is the most logical explanation._

"You have stated it on numerous occasions, but you have yet to prove it through scientific means, Penny."

His mind had begun formulating a mental diagram on an experiment that would allow Penny to test her hypothesis, but something had made Sheldon suddenly halt.

"Sheldon?" Penny raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"Listen." he whispered.

Behind them, a steady, heavy _pat pat pat_ grew louder. He could not discern the cause of it, but it was getting closer to them.

To say that Sheldon's vast imagination was overflowing with every possible worst-case scenario would be an understatement.

_This is it. My passing will happen while in a coma, mauled to death by the legions of cognitive Cybermen, Morlocks, and oh good lord…Tribbles!_

"Sheldon, you can't die by tribbles." Penny pointed out, matter-of-factly. He gawked at this. Apparently, she could read his thoughts, but he would question this later.

There were more pressing matters at hand.

"Besides," she mused. "Don't they mew?"

"They mostly purr, but I cannot rule them out because of a lack of incessant purring." The sound echoed vehemently, and he harshly whispered to her, "You know not of their evil, Penny! Even Spock was rendered helpless against those foul, fuzzy demons. They could very well multiply and drown us depending on what their diet has been!"

The patting sound stopped, and Penny suddenly squealed.

"Aw…how cute!" Her gushing reverberated around them.

_I knew it…hello, death by Tribble horde…_

"Hello, little froggy!"

… _Little…froggy?_

Sheldon, who had raised his arms over his face as a means of bracing himself for his inevitable doom, cracked an eye open.

Sitting before them was indeed a frog, but it was by no means _little_. _Ceratophrys Ornata,_ he mused. But it was not your run of the mill horned frog.

Sitting upon its face were thick black spectacles.

"Fascinating." He muttered. Something about its eyes, with its horizontal pupils, was familiar…as if it were suspiciously squinting.

The frog blinked slowly at him and croaked. "Shel-dun." It had such a distinct whine to it, and he grinned. _Ah…that was it!_ Moving his bag aside, he knelt down and acknowledged it with a quick twitch of a nod.

"Leonard."

"Shel-dun"

"Leonard."

"Shel-dun." The Leonard-frog puffed its slime-covered body and, turning, disappeared up a flight of steps that had not been there a moment earlier.

Penny let out a low, amused whistle. "That was cool. Should we follow him?"

He gave her a look that said, _'Really, Penny?'_ causing her to giggle. He gestured for her to go first, and, with a small curtsey, she ascended the steps with Sheldon following close by.

* * *

Leonard heaved another sigh.

Penny had gone to the restroom, and he was finally able to scrutinize his slumbering roommate.

It has now been 2 and a half weeks since the accident, and although there were many improvements physically, Sheldon still could not be roused from his coma.

 _Even now, he's still stubborn._ The thought caused Leonard to smile.

Admittedly, the first few days without Sheldon's routines and his quips had been bliss. Leonard had been given free reign over the apartment, and with Penny at the hospital, no one was around to stop him.

Yet, the exuberance of freedom was short-lived. He couldn't help but miss Sheldon.

Looking around him to see if he was still alone, he quietly called out Sheldon's name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a Psychology major, the information Sheldon spouts about phrenology is accurate. Phrenology was a real thing! http://www.phrenology.org/intro.html


	8. In Which The Hero Hits A Roadblock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** This chapter focuses on Sheldon alone, but I hope you like it as much as the previous chapters.

Chapter 8

Sheldon frowned at the door he was facing.

He had been sure that he followed Penny at a reasonably good pace, and although part of his attention was dedicated to digesting recent events, he had been able to keep a view of Penny's blond and bouncy locks in sight at all times.

Pulling his sleeve down to cover his hand, he pulled at the wrought iron handle of the door. It did not budge.

"Drat." Swiveling around, he then considered turning back.

 _But, to turn back now would be absurd_ , he reasoned. _It would be like dropping out in the middle of an experiment, thus missing out on a potentially momentous discovery._

He noticed the brightness increased significantly behind him, and he turned to face the door again.

Before him glowed an incomplete algorithm diagram comprised of 2 small bubbles, with arrows pointing down at a larger blank bubble. Sheldon eyed the first of the smaller ones.

_K times three…squared…_

And glanced at the second.

_P times three…_

"So I must figure out which numerical values to input for K and P…" He whispered to himself. A sudden _**buzz**_ caused him to jump back a few steps, hand clutching his chest.

"What in the world…" The shimmering algorithm glowed less brightly, and Sheldon squinted at it.

He scratched his chin, analyzing what had just happened, and an idea struck him. He stepped forward and, clearing his throat, spoke up.

"I had a feeling that things would not be as easy as they seemed, as you are a part of me, and I know myself."

Nothing. He proceeded.

"I would have thought that my mind was laden with traps, but our trek through the tunnel had been suspiciously smooth."

He could have sworn the algorithm's light pulsed in response.

"However, I knew it was only a matter of time before I sprung one. This is something much akin to the riddle that the Sphinx presented to Oedipus when he sought to enter Thebes. I solve you, I find out how to get to Princess Peach, or in this case, Penny. Am I correct?"

The diagram's brightness returned, and it was all the affirmation he needed.

Adjusting the strap of his bag, he extracted a marker from his pocket. It was the expo marker Penny had handed him when they were above ground.

Sheldon uncapped the marker, and with a deep breath, began to write. He made furious, swift motions, and the air before him filled with his meticulous handwriting. To anyone who had been watching him, they would have described him as a passionate conductor.

What seemed like hours later, he stepped back from his work, using his hand to swipe away little bits and pieces of what he had scribbled.

The words he had scrawled sprang to life, swimming like his long-forgotten bioluminescent fish, and they fused together to form three symbols:

A fist, which replaced the K. A coin, which replaced the P, and a door, which filled the previously empty bubble.

Sheldon breathed a triumphant laugh. _Pictionary…Brilliant!_

"Three knocks in three rounds, and three pennies in between. Upon your door I must pound for the outside to be seen. That is my answer."

He knew it was a risk answering in rhyme, but considering everything, he had a feeling that doing otherwise would be inappropriate.

The silence confirmed his suspicion, and the glowing algorithm burst into confetti.

"Well, that was a hoot and a half."

*knock knock knock*

"Penny!"

*knock knock knock*

"Penny!"

*knock knock knock*

"Penny!"

A shuffle and a muffled voice filtered through from the other side of the door.

"Sheldon? What the hell! I thought you were right behind me!" He could hear the impatience in her tone, laced with concern. The door swung open and she stood before him, anxiously biting her lower lip.

"If I had been following any closer, we would have formed quite an imposing T-1000."

Penny gave him a vexed look before she launched herself at him, arms snaking around his slim frame, and pulling him into a tight hug. His arms hovered awkwardly around her, unsure of where to be placed.

All he could think about was hoping she wouldn't let go. _Odd._

"Didn't you notice I was gone? I was working on that problem for a considerate amount of time."

"Sweetie…Time doesn't exist here remember?" She sighed. "If I lost you, you'd never…" Penny pulled away from his embrace before she finished and gave him an apologetic smile. "But…you're here now. Are you ok? What happened?"

Sheldon, after an instant, found his voice, and explained how the door would not allow him to exit without passing a trial. He noted the multitude of expressions that flitted over her face, from surprise, to amusement, and then joy.

When he concluded his recounting of the trial, he noticed that they had been standing in front of a tiny shed by a tremendous and stately building.

"Oh. We're outside."

Penny followed his gaze.

"Yup." She popped the 'p'.

"Well, I'm quite glad to be back on topside Sheldonopolis."

"Me too, whack-a-doodle. Oh yeah! I have to find that little froggy and thank him later. If we had gone any farther, we would have ventured into the dark area I pointed out before. We would have become lost." She made a dramatic pose, her hands in the shape of claws. "Forever!"

"Penny."

"Yes, Sheldon?"

"He was a horned frog, not a _little froggy_."


	9. In Which The Cavalry Is Formed

Chapter 9

Raj had not been able to tell Penny how he felt about the accident. Hadn't been able to comfort her like the others have.

_If only the hospital would let me drink inside…_

He felt awkward, and, quite frankly, useless.

But no one ever said he was a bad observer. He had seen her, hunched over her laptop typing away so diligently, sighing over and over. He caught a glimpse of what she was doing when he walked in on her sleeping one night, but he looked no further in fears of her punching in the throat. _Or my samosas,_ he thought.

So when Penny entrusted her laptop to him yesterday, Raj went through it.

That was how he discovered what exactly she had been looking at.

Filled with determination, Raj spent the day gathering some of Sheldon's belongings to bring to the hospital in order to aid Penny. He wanted to help her in every way possible, despite not being able to speak to her.

He heard the distinct click of the lock behind him as he made his way back to Sheldon's room.

"Oh, hey Howard!" He called out.

Howard took in the spectacle before him, an eyebrow arching until it disappeared underneath his neatly cut bangs.

"Hey, Raj. What's going on?" He shut the door and sat on the edge of the couch careful not to step on the boxes strewn about.

Raj reappeared cradling several comic books in his arms. He waded through the pool of boxes that lay on the floor of Leonard and Sheldon's apartment and sat with a ' _plop_ ' on Sheldon's spot.

"Ah, cushy for my tushy." He smiled and handed Howard half of the stack. He noticed that his face was still giving him a questioning look. "Ok, I know this is gonna sound weird, but I know what Penny has been up to and I am helping her!"

Howard peered into one of the boxes by his feet. "By bringing her Sheldon's toys?"

"And comic books!" Raj recounted how he found out about Penny's sensory stimulation theory, hoping that the engineer would find it as much of a good idea as he did.

"I dunno, Raj…I don't wanna have him wake up and give me strikes, or worse, _banishment_ , if he finds out we've been touching his stuff." His longing glances at the comic books told Raj otherwise.

Raj shrugged. On some part, he understood Howard's reluctance. Sheldon's class was hard, and who knows how big Sheldon's mushroom cloud would be if he did discover his belongings had been in hands other than his.

"Dude, at least help me organize some of these things. Look, he has all these cool issues that even I don't have!" He held up _The Amazing Spider Man: issue 129_.

"We know you guys have issues, but I wouldn't call his cool."

They shared a look, and Howard waggled his eyebrows. Raj shook his head.

"You know what I meant dude. Don't tell me you're going to pass up the opportunity to look though his collection."

"I wasn't!" Howard pulled a box towards him and began to fill it. A minute of silence passed between them. "Alright, I'm in. Any opportunity, even if it risks invoking Sheldon's wrath, is way better than spending the day with my mother anyway. She wanted to drag me to the new yoga class they're holding at the Jewish Community Center." He shuddered.

"And will you help me bring all of this to Penny?"

"Only if you call my mom and tell her I can't go."

Raj pouted. "Deal."


	10. In Which Something More Is Revealed

Chapter 10

They don't know how long it takes  
Waiting for a love like this  
Every time we say goodbye  
I wish we had one more kiss  
I'll wait for you, I promise you I will…

Bernadette followed the voice down the hall. Penny had taken up singing to Sheldon more often, according to the nurses (and although they were unsure whether she knew she could be heard throughout the floor or not, they didn't have the heart to stop her.)

She knocked on the door frame, careful not to drop the package she held in her arms.

"Hey, Penny!" She stifled a giggle when Penny jumped in surprise, blushing in embarrassment.

"Oh, uh…hey Bernadette! W-what are you doing here?" She gave Bernadette a sheepish smile, and watched her set the box down on the bedside desk.

"Oh, Chuck and the rest of the Cheesecake Factory wanted to send you best wishes in the form of Red Velvet cheesecake! You've been here for so long, with that bland hospital food, we figured you needed a little treat. Plus it's the holidays. And don't worry," She assured. "I really did remember to wash my hands. We were working with Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus, after all."

"Aw…well that's really sweet of you guys." She hugged the smaller woman. Bernadette pulled up a seat by Penny and took a deep breath.

"Penny, let's be honest with ourselves. This whole thing...the accident...there was nothing you could have done. You're being brave for everyone, but you know you don't have to." She looked over the rims of her glasses at Penny.

Penny frowned slightly. Leave it to Bernadette to not beat around the bush, she thought.

"Bern…I told you…" She looked down at her hands, willing herself not to cry. "If I hadn't made Sheldon go get those stupid hot dogs, he'd be in front of his laptop, lecturing me on Saturnalia and hot cocoa. I have to try and make it up to him. Make things right."

To her, Penny looked so small and defeated, and it broke her heart.

"I know you think it's because of that note; you're telling yourself you have to make things right because you feel guilty. But you know what I think, Penny?"

"What…?" Bernadette took her hands into her own.

The boys may have been fooled, but she knew there was a bigger reason why Penny wouldn't leave Sheldon's side. Much, much bigger.

"That that's only one of the reasons. But there's another reason. You love him, don't you." It was a matter-of-fact statement, confirmed when Penny's blush returned. Penny glanced at Sheldon, saying nothing. She had known, sooner or later, that someone would figure it out.

She sensed the conversation was over when Penny remained silent, but Bernadette, a romantic at heart, didn't mind. _Love is a powerful thing_ , she thought. She knew that if anyone were to pull a miracle, it'd be Penny.

"Well, I have to get going. I promised Howard I'd help him on this project he's doing with Raj."

She gave her one last hug before leaving, and Penny, who had no longer been able to hold back, cried.

When she reached the elevator, she began whistling 'All You Need Is Love'

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song she sings is Lucky by Jason Mraz (feat. Colbie Caillat) :3


	11. In Which The Hero Gains A Bigger Party

Chapter 11

They sat on the steps of City Hall. Beside him, Penny sang a song he did not recognize as she rummaged around his bag.

He had been adamant against this, stating that although many social conventions escaped him, he was certain that when one was not a figure of the law, looking through another person's belongings wasn't one. ("Social conventions, like time, don't exist here. So give it up." She argued.)

It wasn't until she threatened him with castration that he gave up his rights to his bag.

With nothing else to do, he grumbled to himself, staring out at the skyline of the city.

Sheldonopolis had remained, for the most part, devoid of inhabitants since Sheldon first woke up, and it mystified him, although he did notice subtle changes in their surroundings.

Penny had happily pointed out that it signified immeasurable improvement.

The buildings have become larger, and the colors much more vibrant. _There's Shelmart…ooh, and I can see the bleachers from Sheldon Stadium…Indeed,_ he thought, _Sheldonopolis is one fine city._

Various forms of flora were also present; many of the flowers that had bloomed glinted in the sunlight. He furrowed his brows.

Penny looked up, clutching the neatly folded piece of paper she had been searching for.

"What's wrong Sheldon?"

"Something about those flowers…" He stood and made his way down the steps.

When he got to one of the blooming trees, he reached up (without much effort, thanks to his height.) and plucked a tiny, orange flower from the closest branch. Sheldon looked down at what he held in his hand and he blinked.

It was a pennyblossom, its petals neatly dotted with tiny rhinestones and glitter. A fuzzy memory of sea shanties and a messy apartment flooded his senses. He could almost smell the hot glue.

"Well who would have thought…Out of all the flowers you could have picked, you got the first one I showed you."

Penny appeared by his side, and Sheldon dazedly looked at her. She stretched out a hand, and he placed the pennyblossom into her palm as he took his bag back. He corrected the strap across his chest as he watched her clip the flower onto her hair.

"What were you looking for, anyway?" He asked, his voice greatly subdued. "I did a thorough inventory of its contents before I left and I assure you there is absolutely nothing of use or value to you in it."

"No value to me, yes. But it has a value to you, even if you don't know it yet." She held up the folded paper she had extracted from his bag. Unfolding it, she read aloud:

"Hey Sheldon," She paused, biting her lip. "I know it's probably too much to ask but I'll be working over-time tonight. Hope you could go to the store and grab me some hotdogs. For Spaghetti! Thanks! Penny. P.S…" She gave the note back to him, her head tilted slightly upwards.

"Do you know why I asked you to come over that day?" She asked. "It wasn't because I wanted to just have dinner with you…I had to talk to you about something."

He clucked softly at her. "Penny, as we have been neighbors and, to an extent, friends for years, I have learned that trying to keep you away is like trying to keep a Vulcan from engaging in _pon farr_. Denial of it means death." The corner of his mouth twitched into a little smile. "Dinner or not, you could have found a reasonable moment to speak to me."

She stood toe-to-toe with him now, looking up at him with large emerald eyes. _Have they always been that green?_ A small feeling of yearning flickered inside of him when he examined the rest of her face, now dangerously close to his. Her lips, a coral pink, were slightly parted, and her hair, partially pinned back by the pennyblossom, fell in golden tendrils around it. She was impossibly radiant, and everything around him became dull and faded again as he focused on her and his stuttering heart beat.

_Is this how I perceive her? Impossible…I am a Homo Novus…I am above these feelings…_

And yet, here he was, fighting against the urge to cup her face in his hands; fighting the urge to kiss Penny.

The doors of City Hall suddenly flew open, and Penny and Sheldon, eyes wide, pulled back from each other, the spell they were both under now broken.

Two stumpy figures descended the steps as fast as their short legs could carry them. From where he was standing, Sheldon could make out they were wearing identical and preposterous white jumpsuits. He also couldn't help but notice that they both had mops of dark green hair.

"Sheldon! Sheldon is that really you?" One called out. _Oh._ The other remained silent, desperately trying to catch up to the first. When they finally reached the bottom of the steps, they fell to the ground, gasping for breath.

Penny gestured at Sheldon, who nodded, and they approached the tiny pair.

"Hello Wolowitz. Hello Koothrappali. Nice of you to join us on this fine day in Sheldonopolis." He smirked as he stood over them, hands behind his back.

* * *

Penny slipped the note back into Sheldon's bag before she rushed over to Raj's side. He and Howard had sauntered in, a tall stack of boxes in their arms. They had failed to notice the pull-away bed table.

"Raj! Howard? What's going on? What's with all the…boxes?" She watched Howard shift his eyes, hooking his thumbs onto the pockets of his skintight yellow jeans.

"Well…let's just say that we know what you've been up to Penny. We wanna help." Howard gave her a suave smile. She rounded on him, eyes squinting.

But instead of getting angry, she whispered a thank you to both of them.

They began unloading the contents, ignoring the bewildered stare of the nurse that had been standing by Sheldon's heart monitor.

* * *

"Really you guys? Oompa Loompas?" Penny asked dryly, earning herself an indignant look from Sheldon.

"That's Oompa Loompas of _science_ , Penny." Sheldon corrected her. "If I recall, I had made a comment once while visiting the engineering department at the university describing them thusly." He chortled.

"Ok. So why is Raj an Oompa Loompa of science? I thought he worked with telescopes and star thingies."

Raj rapidly whispered into Howards ear. When Howard gave him a perplexed look, he urged him with minuscule hands.

"He says…he says it's because Sheldon always views us as an inseparable pair. So how he sees one of us, he sees the other." He said curtly.

Sheldon nodded. "Correct. Plus, Howard is the dominant of the two, so it's only fitting." He watched Howard roll his eyes. Behind him, Raj clapped delightedly and engaged in what looked to Sheldon as a frenzied dance.

"Anyway, Sheldon. We're glad we found you. Ever since the accident, there has been a very big problem."

Sheldon arched an eyebrow. "And you think I was not aware of this? Penny has already debriefed me on my…condition."

"Yes, but there's more to it. Notice how Sheldonopolis is deserted?" Howard gestured around him. Sheldon nodded slowly. It had disturbed him to no end.

"Yea, it's because there is a part of your mind that's dominated right now by that…that _THING_ that's up there." He pointed up to the balcony at the highest floor of the building. "And only you can fix it. You have to get up there Sheldon, and defeat it."

Sheldon angled his head up. The curtains that hung from the windows were parted, but remained undisturbed. For some reason, he could not shake the feeling that whatever was in that office was watching them.

"I don't suppose I have a choice in this. Given the comatose conjunctures that I have taken part in…"

"Sheldon," Howard pressed. "If you don't do this, then you fail as Mayor of Sheldonopolis, and you'll never be able to return."

_He's right. I AM the Mayor…and as Mayor, I cannot fail my city's denizens._

He suddenly felt empowered. He had been given a window of opportunity to brave something and restore peace. _Why, I could be a hero!_

Penny gave a small cough when Sheldon remained quiet.

"If you're thinking of going in there, you have to remember: _anything_ is possible once we're past those doors." She tapped his forehead gently. "What do you say Moon Pie? Shall we go up there and kick some monster butt?"

He didn't miss a beat, and struck a dramatic pose, arms akimbo and chest puffed out.

"Am I not Sheldor the Conqueror, mayor and founder of Sheldonopolis? Come! Let us slay this beast and return the city to its former glory!"

Raj gave a _whoop_ and Howard grinned. Turning to Penny, he leered at her.

"You know, if this doesn't work out, you can always be a guide in _my_ science factory."

Before she could administer a slap, Sheldon grasped her hand and ran up the steps leading into City Hall, with the Oompa Loompas of science trailing closely behind.

Watching from the window of the mayor's office, a dark figure chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it's unclear, at this point Sheldon's condition is improving, so most of what Penny is saying to him in the hospital is filtering through Mind!Penny.


	12. In Which The Hero Meets The Villain

Chapter 12

They hurriedly made their way across the grand lobby towards the elevators, and Sheldon pressed the 'up' button. Unfortunately, they seemed to have been disabled, and he grunted in frustration. _I won't be thwarted so easily!_

"I should have known they would do this. It's so typical for the villain to render easy means of transport useless."

Penny squeezed his hand, which was protectively wrapped around hers.

"No kidding. Look like we'll have to tackle more stairs then." Behind her, Raj made a noise and she looked at him, puzzled. "What?"

"The stairs disappeared when we got down here." Howard explained. "Whatever's up there is one smart cookie."

"So, you're telling us that there is absolutely no way to get up there?" She deadpanned, and wrenched her way out of Sheldon's grasp to grab Howard by the overalls. "You should have mentioned it before! How do you-"

"Shel-dun." A familiar croak reverberated in the massive lobby, followed by a series of _pat pat pat_. Above them, a familiar bespectacled creature emerged, his wide head poking though the railing of the floor above.

"Oh! Well if it isn't Leonard the frog." Sheldon gave it an awkward wave. "Have you come to join us in our quest?"

"Shel-dun." He croaked in response. Leonard's amphibious lips parted in what Sheldon deduced was a smile.

He momentarily disappeared. When he returned, he was towing a coil of appeared to be multicolored rope in his mouth. He spat it over the edge, and it unraveled until it reached the group's feet.

Penny unceremoniously dropped Howard on his rump, feverishly blushing.

"No way." She pointed up at Leonard, who was still smiling. "Leonard, I thought you were cool, but we are NOT climbing up my underwear!"

"Are those clean Leonard?" Sheldon asked dubiously.

"SHELDON!"

"Penny," Sheldon challenged. "How do you propose we get to the office? I understand your indignation, and I, too, am not keen on clinging to your underwear, but as there are no other options…"

"Absolutely not, Sheldon. Those. Are. My. Panties!" She crossed her arms, huffing.

"And my oh my are those cute panties…" Howard licked his lips, ignoring the daggers coming from Penny's glare.

Sheldon gestured him to wait, and he placed a reluctant hand on her shoulder. When she looked up, his lips quirked into a smile.

"Penny, are you not my cognitive guide?" He dropped his voice slightly, leaning in. "Well I need your guidance now. Salvation of my mind and the rest of Sheldonopolis lies in you at this very moment, in the form of your colorful Hello Kitty undergarments."

Her look of annoyance faded as he pouted.

"Please, Penny."

"There is no talking you out of this, is there?" He fervently shook his head, and she sighed. "Fine…But I am so kicking his ass later."

Sheldon could have sworn he saw Leonard trembling.

One by one, they ascended the panty-rope. When they finally reached the top, they followed Leonard until they arrived at a set of heavy double doors.

"The moment of truth." Sheldon swallowed. _And here I stand, without a means of protection. No weaponry, no armor…_

He felt something tug his sleeve, and he glanced down. Raj was gesturing for him to kneel. He bent down, and Raj whispered in his ear.

"Dude, don't be scared. You have to believe in yourself. Believe in Penny."

 _Penny._ He glanced at her. She stood by his side, fearless and ready, and that was enough. _She said anything was possible, and I must believe in that too._

"I understand." He placed his hand on the knob, and as he made to turn it, the doors parted.

The office was as impressive as the building itself. The faded curtains, which had been parted, allowed a dim stream of light into the room, and Sheldon had been able to make out the photos of inkblots that lined the walls.

In the middle of the mayor's office was a desk. _My desk,_ Sheldon noticed. _From the university._ Behind it sat a shadowy figure.

"Hello, Mr. Cooper. I've been expecting you."

It was an unmistakable voice, and there was a collective shudder.

"You…"

* * *

Leonard found the remote and turned the TV off.

He had walked in on Penny, Howard, and Raj fast asleep in Sheldon's room, the former awkwardly by Sheldon in his bed, and the latter two sprawled in the seats by the window.

It turned out that had spent the day decorating it with his figurines. A half built train model lay forgotten underneath the small tree he had brought in, and he couldn't help but laugh softly.

In their exhaustion, they had dozed off during a James Bond marathon.

He looked at the folder that he held in his hands. Earlier, Dr. Stephanie Barnett called him into her office.

"Ever since they transferred his files to me, I've been tracking his condition." She flicked on the light box and clipped two scans of Sheldon's brain. He looked at them, but he didn't understand.

"And? Is he improving?"

"Oh, more than improving, Leonard." She pointed at the first of the scans. "This was an fMRI done when he was first admitted into the hospital. It's not very colorful is it?"

He shook it head. The images on it were very plain; the brain was grey and, according to Stephanie, unresponsive.

"Here, take look at the second one." He shifted his attention, and what a difference it was from the first. There were bursts of color in various areas of his brain. "This was done yesterday. Now, the first column is his brain without any stimulation."

"That's impressive. No stimulation, huh?" She nodded.

"But the second column is his brain when we had Penny talk to him. I tell you, the boys up in radiology claimed it was like a forest fire." She laughed. "He's going to be fine, Leonard. Any time now."

"Any time now." He whispered, as he pulled the blanket of Penny's shoulders. _I'll just save the good news for another day._


	13. In Which The Hero Fights The Boss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fight scene! I'm sorry if it's not the best fight scene but I really tried. :O!

Chapter 13

"Goofy! I should have known!" Sheldon snarled, eye twitching as the tall character stepped around the desk, large shoes squeaking as he walked.

Goofy looked down his snout at him and held his gloved palms out.

"Gawrsh, Shelly. Don't act so surprised."

"You don't belong here, Goofy. I'm the mayor, not you."

"I don't understand why you hate me so much." Tilting his head, he let his arms fall to his sides. "And yet you're okie dokie with Pluto."

Sheldon caught a flash of gold in a corner of the room behind Goofy as he spoke, and stood his ground, fists clenched into tight balls.

"Ahyuk, it doesn't matter. That hatred, and Sheldonopolis…it will be all gone soon."

"That doesn't explain why you're here…" Sheldon said through gritted teeth.

Goofy took his hat off and held it to his chest, pretending to wipe a tear away from his eye.

"I can't believe you forgot. I thought you don't forget nothin'."

 _Forgot…?_ Sheldon wracked his brain, trying to piece together that the anthropomorphic dog was telling him.

"It all started with how you got here Sheldon." He gave the physicist a toothy smile. Sensing that Sheldon was still at a loss, he began to dance, swaying his hips and gangly arms.

Déjá vu overwhelmed Sheldon, and he remembered:

_Before the impact. The little Hula Goofy on the dashboard._

Suddenly, Howard and Raj elicited a battle cry and ran between his legs, aiming for Goofy.

Quickly reaching into his vest, he pulled out what looked to be a tiny blue laser gun and shot twice, leaving two frozen blocks of ice that encased the oompa loompas.

"Oh no you-ARGH!" He dropped the ice gun as Penny pounced from her spot in the shadows onto his back. Her arms locked Goofy in a chokehold.

He growled and bucked, but her hold was strong.

"Sheldon!" She held on tight, true to her junior rodeo reputation. "Sheldon, hurry! I can't hold on much longer!"

Sheldon darted towards weapon, but as he made to grab it, Goofy slammed against the wall, blocking him. _Drat!_ He watched helplessly as Penny wrestled him.

Goofy regained control as he pried Penny off him, and shoved her to the side. Seeing an opening, Sheldon grabbed him by his vest and they fought for dominance.

Punches were thrown but Sheldon was much quicker than Goofy. Unfortunately, Goofy had the strength that he lacked, and he threw Sheldon off.

Tattered and bruised, his chest heaved as he watched Goofy stand over Penny.

"Oh, I see how it is. Ahyuk."

Sheldon's anger flared. _No…I will not allow you to lay a finger on her!_

"Sweetie…" She said, weakly. "Remember what I told you…"

 _Anything is possible, Sheldon!_ Her voice filled his ears, and he felt a heavy weight in his hand. Looking down at it, he knew what he had to do.

_It's up to me now. Sheldon Cooper's time to be a hero…_

"Goofy!" He cried out. Goofy turned on him, his eyes red in rage. "You forgot one thing…"

"Ahyuk…hyuk..What would that be Sheldon?"

Sheldon graced him with his creepy twisted smile.

"I'm Batman!" He threw the batarang, which lodged itself into Goofy's orange chest. His voice faltered as he tried to pry it out, but as he got closer to the window, Leonard shot out of Sheldon's bag.

"SHEL-DUN!" Leonard landed on Goofy's face with a loud _squelch_ , and he stumbled backwards, breaking the glass.

"NO…! NO! AHHEEOOOOOOWOOO!" The railing of the balcony broke, and Goofy fell to the concrete below. Upon impact, his body shattered, and Leonard lay, alive and well, in the debris.

Sheldon pulled back from the edge and rushed to Penny's side.

"Penny! Penny, are you hurt?" He helped her stand, arms firmly around her.

She groaned, but beamed a smile up at him. "I've dealt with worse, whack-a-doodle."

Around them, the office began to shift. The dark room had become filled with warmth and light, and the inkblot photos that were on the shelves transformed.

_Is that…a Nobel PRIZE?_

All of a sudden, cheering blared from outside, and the pair made their way to the window.

Below, the once-barren Sheldonopolis was filled with people, many of whom Sheldon recognized. Superheroes and beloved characters called out to him, celebrating his triumph. He watched as a procession of whimsical ducks paraded around the square, waving their umbrellas.

In the sky above, fireworks exploded in multi-colored extravagance.

"Under normal circumstances, I would be loath to admit that anything you say holds truth, Penny." He smiled. "But you were right: anything is possible."

Penny simply smiled, leaning into his embrace.


	14. In Which The Hero Finds Himself Alone

Chapter 14

Night fell in Sheldonopolis, but the festivities continued. More and more people filled the square below. Although Sheldon did not partake, with Penny next to him, he couldn't help but feel complete.

"Looks like you'll be alright after all, sweetie." Penny rested her head on his shoulder and smiled. He hadn't bothered to shy away from the gesture, having grown accustomed to the proximity of her body to his.

"Indeed." He inclined his gaze towards the sky, which was now filled with stars. "But I am glad at the knowledge that normalcy has been restored."

She snorted at his prim tone. It was a sure sign he was improving.

"Speaking of normalcy, you'll be able to go back soon!" She laughed and looked up at him, but his blue eyes met her green ones with a blank expression.

"Go back to what?"

"Back to consciousness. When you wake up, you'll be back to reality."

_Oh yes. Reality…Back to the mediocre life I had been living. Back to being a nobody._

"I don't want to wake up, Penny." He watched her blink in confusion. Her smile fell, and she moved away to face him fully.

"What are you saying, Sheldon…?"

"Penny, I understand that the commotion outside has caused the audible speaking levels to become compromised." He admonished. "But I'm afraid I cannot say it any louder or clearer. I do not wish to return."

She flinched, and mumbled something as her eyes fell to the floor. Even with his Vulcan hearing, he was unable to catch what she said.

"Come again?"

"I need to know why, Sheldon. Why do you need to stay?" Her voice faltered, and he could not understand. _Why does she wish for me to leave?_

"I must remain here…" He thought for a moment. _Because I am a hero._ "Because it is logical. Sheldonopolis needs me, Penny. And to be perfectly honest, I am very happy being here. I am respected, and I have my Nobel Prize…I have purpose…" He ticked away each reason with his long fingers, and with each reason, Penny became more rigid.

"That's all, Sheldon? You want to stay here because you have those things?" Her laugh was hollow, and it chilled him. "What about your work? Your Meemaw? Laundry night? Sorry to break it to you Moon Pie, but…all of this?" She waved a hand at the people below. "It's all a delusion. This isn't reality."

The chill was quickly replaced with pain.

"How can it be a delusion? Penny, right now, you sound no better than Leonard. No better than anyone who's made fun of me and my work." _I thought you were different,_ he thought to himself.

He instantly regretted his words as he watched her slump against the window. He took a step toward her, but she stopped him.

"Penny, if I return to consciousness I stand to lose everything I have ever dreamed of. I stand to lose…you." The last part, he whispered, but Penny's head shot up.

"Sheldon, if you stay here you WILL lose me." She held a hand up. He noticed that it was slightly transparent. "I lied, Sheldon. I'm not a manifestation of your mind. I'm something else. And the more you resist, the more you want to stay trapped…you have to wake up, Sheldon."

She took the pennyblossom out of her hair and placed it on his desk. Without another word, she walked out of his office. Sheldon watched her leave, unsure of the proper protocol to adhere to.

He looked out the window moments later and saw her stumble down the steps and disappear into the sea of people.

"Fine." He said to no one in particular. "The Mayor does not need you."

He reached for the pennyblossom and thought back to when they had been alone outside. _She never did tell me what she wanted to talk about…_

He grabbed his bag, pinning the flower to the strap, and sought out Howard and Raj, who were flirting with Catwoman in the lobby.

"Howard, Raj, Penny left."

"Dude! Were you two having a lovers spat?" Raj giggled drunkedly.

"No. I might have said something that did not agree with her. Now I am left with a burning question, but as I am not sure of what the social convention is in this situation, I need to hear your input."

Howard groaned and gave him a chastising look.

"Sheldon, I suggest you apologize. Women are so testy like that. One minute they're never gonna talk to you again, but if you chase after them and say you're sorry, they're all over you. Like a kitten." Howard turned back to Catwoman, who tried to scoot him away with her boot.

"That certainly sounds like a plausible plan of action…Alright. Thank you Wolowitz."

He ran down the steps, sure he had seen the direction she had gone in, but the crowd was too thick.

"Excuse me! Excuse me, I'm the Mayor of Sheldonopolis. Has anyone seen Penny?" _Someone must have surely seen her…_ "Please let me through!" He asked every citizen in his sight, but they all answered the same: They had not seen her, nor do they know her.

"That's ludicrous." He muttered to himself. "They should know who Penny is…she helped me save them."

Standing amidst his respected heroes and idols, surrounded by his beloved equations, Sheldon had never felt so alone.

* * *

He wandered towards the far end of Sheldon Square and found a secluded fountain. He sat at the edge, and sulked. He had knocked every door, asked every being, but he had been unable to find Penny.

Footsteps echoed and his heart quickened. _Penny!_

He turned towards the source, but it was not Penny. His breath hitched in his chest.

"Good evening, Mr. Mayor." Spock stopped before him, hands behind his back.

"Good evening Mr. Spock." He blurted out. He cursed himself for being so careless with his manner, but Spock didn't seem to notice. He regarded Sheldon coolly.

"I see that you have sequestered yourself, sir. Why might that be?"

Sheldon hung his head slightly, sighing.

"If you must know…" Sheldon hesitated, but Spock gestured him to proceed. "I have been on the wildest adventure," He explained. "And initially, I had been against my only option for a mental companion, but she had proven to be quite resourceful. Tonight, she voiced her insistence that I 'wake up', but I argued this. Now, I cannot seem to find her. I've inquired numerous persons, but none have been able to point me in the right direction."

"I see. Might I voice an opinion, Mr. Mayor?"

"I suppose you could. Your opinion would certainly be much more enlightening that those of the whimsical ducks."

Spock sat down next to him, looking at Sheldon's reflection in the fountain.

"Perhaps your mental companion was correct in saying that it was time to 'wake up.' After all, would your mind not deteriorate if your physical body was left unattended?"

Sheldon locked eyes with Spock. _I hadn't thought of that…But…_

"I have friends. They would keep my body safe."

"They would. But your vegetative body, in its depleted condition, is of no use. Thus, you become a burden to them."

Sheldon's frown deepened. _"_ Let's say I accept the logic in your statement. I still don't see how it will help me find Penny."

"If you wish to find her, you simply must remember the purpose of her guidance."

"Well, that's simple. To wake me up." Sheldon scoffed.

"And to teach you embrace the illogical, Mr. Mayor. To follow the heart as opposed to the mind." Spock's stoic expression changed, and his lips turned upwards into a small smile.

In the distance, Sheldon could make out the whistle of a train.

_A train? There is no train station in-_

Spock calmly stood, ears twitching at the sound. "You should get to the train station, Mr. Mayor. Your heart seems as if it does not wish to stay here."

"But, there never was a train station in Sheldonopolis…I never got around to building it!" He sputtered. "And how do I even reach it? I can't drive."

He watched as Spock chuckled. "Then, I suggest you run, Mr. Mayor, lest you never see her again."

The whistle sounded again, and Sheldon followed it. But before he did, he raised a hand in a Vulcan salute. Spock returned it, and waved him off.

 _Penny…_ he silently begged. _Don't leave me yet…_


	15. In Which The Hero Comes Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was the hardest to do, and still feels abrupt and OOC for me.

Chapter 15

"Oh good _LORD_." Sheldon fought to catch his breath as he stumbled into the train station. It had taken him a good amount of time, running into dead ends and going in circles, before he finally found it. However, it was such a large structure, and Sheldon pondered how he had missed it in the first place.

He looked around. Unlike the rest of the city, the station seemed to be deserted. He approached the turnstiles and spotted the train docked at the boarding area. Relief washed over him.

_I can still make it…but where IS she?_

The train whistle sounded and Sheldon snapped to attention. He tried entering the boarding area, but found that the barrier would not budge.

Sheldon cursed, and gripped his bag strap with his clammy hands. _No no no…thwarted by a metal turnstile…_ He glared at the train. _But I must. And anything is possible…_ He reached into the pocket where he had slipped the expo marker what seemed to be ages ago.

What he took out though was not the marker. In his hand, he held a sonic screwdriver.

Moving quickly, he activated the screwdriver and ran the blue light over the barricade. A soft _click_ meant it had worked and he dashed into the boarding area, which was just as devoid of life.

Sheldon could not help but admire the train momentarily. It was majestic, with more compartments than he could count from where he stood, and much like how he imagined a train should look like. _The Sheldonopolis version of the Orient Express_. Regaining his thoughts, his eyes began to search the windows.

"Penny? Penny!" He called out, but no answer came. He tried every door, only to find them locked, and the sonic screwdriver didn't seem to work. As he ran down the length of the train, he spotted a familiar flash of gold towards the last car. "Penny!"

The metal of the train gave a loud lurch, and steam escaped, blocking his view. He shut his eyes, coughing, but once he opened them, he knew he was too late.

The train began to move, gaining speed as it exited the far tunnel of the station. The last car passed him, and that was when he saw her. Her head was resting against the glass, seeming much more pale and translucent than when she had left.

He yelled out her name, running by the window. When he mustered enough courage to get close enough and pound on the window, her eyes widened and focused on his.

'Sheldon?' She mouthed. She tried opening the window, but it was stuck. Frantically, Penny gestured towards the end of the car. _Of course! She should be able to open that exit!_ He slowed until the door came into view, and it slid open.

Penny stepped out, gripping the sidebars. "Sheldon? What-"

"Don't leave Penny!" He ignored the burning in his legs. Panting, he continued. "Stop the train! Get off…Just…don't leave!"

"Are you kidding me? I can't get off this train!"

"What if I say sorry?" He yelled back.

"Sheldon!" She rolled her eyes at him and, still gripping tightly, stretched out her arm. "Holy crap on a cracker, I can't believe I'm doing this." She said to herself. "Sheldon, grab my hand!"

"Grab _what?_ " 

"My _hand_ Sheldon! Grab my hand and I'll pull you onto the train." Glancing ahead, Sheldon saw they were near the gaping tunnel and he willed his legs to move faster. He extended his own arm to latch onto her.

Their fingers touched, but it wasn't enough. _I can do this_ , he thought. With a final push, he leaped forward and their hands locked. Penny heaved and pulled him into the car. He fell on top of her as the dark tunnel engulfed the last of the train.

Sheldon collapsed with Penny still underneath, and she laid still, looking at him with confusion.

"Penny, I must admit…" He wheezed. "That was more fun than running with hot dogs in my pants…" Penny laughed at this, patting his chest.

They lay on the floor of the train car, heads turned towards each other in silence, save for the steady beat of the train's mechanics. Penny moved to rest her forehead against his and smiled.

"Why _did_ you run after me…you chose to stay back there, and we both know how you stick to decisions. Also, you're not the kind of guy to apologize."

"Yes, but after some consideration and…" He rolled off of her, arms splayed out. "Some questioning of logic, I've come to realize that I'd rather follow my heart. For once."

He reached over and unpinned the pennyblossom from his strap. He gave it back to her, but Penny clasped her hand with his, the flower trapped between their palms.

"Dr. Sheldon Cooper, that may be the most logical thing you've said since you got here."

"Penny."

"Hmm?"

"I'll let that slide for now."

* * *

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

Sheldon's brow twitched with each beep. _What in the world…_ His eyes slowly opened, and he laid still until the blur of his surroundings came into focus.

Of several things he was certain:

There was something warm curled up by his side. It was not at all unpleasant.

He was not in his room. His room didn't make beeping sounds.

The pain in his ribs was getting worse.

He had a strong urge to eat a hamburger.

His eyes shifted, and he saw he was in a hospital room. _But…what are my action figures doing here? Is that my model train? And are those my COMIC BOOKS?_

Whatever had been sleeping next to him stirred, and after a moment he realized who it was.

"Sheldon…?" Penny woke up when she felt his muscles flex. She watched him blink several times before she realized he was awake. "Sheldon…Oh my god! SHELDON!"

She threw her arms around him, tears flowing.

"Ugh…" He groaned, but he returned the hug, albeit weakly. "Hello, Penny." He buried his face in her hair, and smiled. "There, there…Sheldon's here…"

When he looked up again, Leonard, Raj, and Howard stood by the doorway. They had dropped what they were carrying, all sharing the same dumbstruck expression.

"Sheldon!" Leonard was the first to break out of the stupor. "Buddy, you're awake!" He ran over to Sheldon, followed by Raj and Howard, who embraced them in a tight group hug.

"Leonard! Howard! Raj…" He noticed what they had been carrying in their arms: several brightly wrapped gifts. "What day is it…" He whispered. Penny let go, wiping away the tears.

"Sweetie…it's December 24. Chri- Saturnalia eve."

"Saturnalia…Oh! Well that's fantastic. I have so much to tell you. I had the most wonderful escapade." He turned to Leonard. "But first, I must say Leonard. Kermit had nothin' on you."

"Kermit?"

"Yes. The frog."

Raj looked at Howard, who only shrugged.

"And you two…oh my little Oompa Loompas of science! And Penny…"

She gave a squeak when he pulled her back into his embrace, but returned it eagerly as she willed her heart to calm down. "Oh Sheldon…"

Howard nudged Leonard. "You should probably call Stephanie…he's awake but there might be some looser screws up there, cuz I don't sense a bazinga coming our way." He chuckled lightheartedly as he picked the up the gifts.

With one last glance at Penny and Sheldon, he smiled a genuine smile. _No. This is right…everything is as it should be._

* * *

The nurses and various specialists put Sheldon through a myriad of exams throughout the day, despite his protesting. Even after weeks of being in the hospital, his muscles had not deteriorated as much as they had anticipated.

At one point, he had to be strapped and slightly sedated. Leonard, who had to endure their recounting of Sheldon the madman, quietly wondered. _He usually likes tests…_

Stephanie flashed the ophthalmoscope into each of Sheldon's eyes.

"I have to say, Sheldon. You're doing really well."

"Well, I could have told you that."

"Heard you almost wrecked the CT scanner."

He snorted. "I didn't need a CT done in the first place. Those are solely for the purpose of scanning for tumors, hemorrhaging, and bone trauma. It has been weeks since the accident. If I had any of those I wouldn't be awake now would I?"

Leonard cleared his throat. "So what do you think, Stephanie? Can he head home?"

She slid her hands into the pockets of her jacket and shrugged at him. "I don't see why not? The tests were clear and, for a patient who just woke up from a coma, he's doing amazing. What do you say Sheldon?"

"Where's Penny?" he asked, fidgeting.

"Penny?" Leonard thought a moment. "She should be packing your things into the car- whu- HEY!" Sheldon grabbed his bag from Leonard's grasp and sprinted down the stairs, towards the parking area in front of the hospital.

* * *

He approached the glass windows that made up the entrance of the hospital and he stood hidden by the large glowing Christmas tree, observing Penny. She seemed to be engrossed in making sure nothing had been left behind. He noticed that she had lost quite a bit of weight, and there had been dark circles under her eyes, but Howard and Raj had explained her plight.

He couldn't help but feel gratitude.

Sheldon had pieced together the conjunctures, and found so many overlaps. _Her endeavors paid off. Fascinating._

Penny put the last of his belongings into the trunk and wiped her forehead. Stephanie had assured her he would be ready to leave in no time. The worst had come to pass, and things would be back to normal (or as normal as they come when it involved Sheldon.)

"Penny?" She turned. He stood before her, in the same clothes he had worn the day he was hit: Striped long sleeve, layered with his violet lantern shirt. His beige windbreaker folded neatly over his arm. Penny grinned.

"Hey Sheldon! Did Dr. Barnett say you could go home?"

"Technically, she said 'I don't see why not.' I suppose it was a yes." He stood next to her, cheeks flushed. "Penny, I want you to know that…I am thankful for everything you've done while I was comatose."

"Aw…Sheldon, it wasn't a problem." She shrugged at him. "So, what was it like? Being in a coma…you mentioned Kermit."

"It was like a madhouse. I was in Sheldonopolis, which was a metaphor for my mind I suppose, and I fought my way to save it, but not without help." He pointed at her. "You were with me. It wasn't until the end that I learned why, though."

"Oh really?" She said, playfully. "And what was the reason, whack-a-doodle?"

"My mind, filled with logic and rationality, had evidently been suppressing other feelings that turned out to be quite vital. Once in my comatose state, those feelings were able to manifest into your form and emerge." He took out the letter she had written from his bag and handed it to her. "Because of this, and of you, I conquered what had been keeping me under."

Penny laughed. _Yep, that's good ol' Sheldon, alright._ "I'm glad then. That I was able to help."

His brow arched, miffed. "You clearly missed what I've been trying to explain."

"Huh? W-"

He bent towards her and brought his hands up to cup her face, as he had wanted to do since that moment by the pennyblossom tree.

_Sheldon…?_

"It's relatively simple." He stroked her cheek before gently tilting her head up. "My heart was telling me I had to go back to you. It was telling me that I needed to let you know that I...love you." His lips met hers tentatively, and she stood there as still as a statue. When she did not return the kiss, Sheldon pulled away disappointed and searched her eyes.

"Penny?"

Penny held his gaze. "I spent every day regretting ever writing you this stupid letter." She dropped it to the ground and poked his chest as she continued. "Every day, I prayed and I wished for you to just wake the hell up. I held you, and I just…wanted you to come back. I wanted to tell you that I was sorry and I needed you to know something so important, you know?"

"I don't understand what's happening, Penny. Does this mean-"

"Sheldon, let me finish!"

"Sorry. But what did you need me to know?"

It was her turn to give him a miffed look, and she grabbed his shirt, pulling him down so that his face was leveled with hers.

"For a genius, you're not very smart. I needed you to know that I love you, too."

In the light of the hospital's Christmas tree, ignoring the stares of the staff and patrons, they shared their first true kiss, and Sheldon couldn't have been happier.

When everything was signed, they finally headed home. Raj and Howard decided to hit the bars in celebration, leaving Leonard to drive Sheldon and Penny.

He glanced at his rear view mirror from time to time. Sheldon had insisted he sit in the back with Penny, and they spoke to each other in hush tones, although Penny animatedly explained everything that happened while Sheldon was under.

"So, you sang? I might have heard it…sadly, there was only one instance when that Penny sang."

"Really? Can you remember what song it was though?"

"Penny, I remember everything." She playfully punched his shoulder, eliciting a small 'ow'. "Lucky I'm in love with my best friend. Lucky to have been where I have been…lucky to be going home again."

Leonard shifted uncomfortably in the driver's seat when Penny leaned in to nibble Sheldon's lips.

Sheldon suddenly popped his head next to Leonard, causing the car to swerve.

"Whoa! Sheldon, what are you doing?"

"Penny and I wanted to say you should keep your eyes on that road, Kermit. And Merry Saturnalia."

 _Oh yes,_ Leonard thought, smiling. _Merry Saturnalia._

_~The End~_


End file.
